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The Viniri
The Viniri Obstinate, grouchy, pessimistic, prideful... The Viniri admit to all these things, but insist that they have earned the right to be bastards. They certainly have a strong argument, between the supernatural ice storms, the temperamental seas, the constant biting cold, the poor soil, the man-eating beasts stealing their children, and the Realm's oppressive boot on their throats. Despite all the challenges throughout the centuries, the Viniri endure. The clans of the Wailing Enclave are one of the toughest examples of humanity in creation, and they make sure everybody knows it. History The clans history has been jumbled after centuries of telling and retelling, but every storyteller agrees that the Viniri are not the first inhabitants of the Wailing Enclave. They came from across the sea somewhere, finding a harsh but uninhabited home. A few first age ruins predated them, but there were no sign of what happened to the people who lived there. The first years of living were hard. The earth did not take their seed, and they did not know the places where cod swam. Within two generations, the Viniri faced extinction. Then, Ocean Consuming Warrior, God of Strife and Narwhals took pity of the Viniri. He gave the starving people the four Secrets, which led to the formation of the four ruling clans: The Excellent Trappers, The Most Pious Builders, The Jade Priests, and the Salt-Blooded Fishers. Now carrying powerful Secrets, the Viniri spread across the island over the course of centuries, thriving despite the dangerous conditions. Their sanctified lodges encroached deeper and deeper into the evergreen forests. They might have uncovered more secrets, had the Realm not invaded. It took two long years for a realm legion to finally subjugate the Enclave. Terrifying weather, Viniri warriors and brutal terrain turned the war into a slow, bloody slog. The Realm took their anger out on the people of the Enclave, reducing the population by half at the war's end. Defeat did not break the Viniri, though. The Realm's presence was just one more threat in a world full of them. They were certain that they could survive, somehow... Culture A Viniri's life is shaped by three things; the ocean, their family and their clan. The ocean's contribution is obvious; the majority of the island's wealth and food comes hauled in from the surrounding waters. Much of the wealth goes to V'neef's coffers, but there is enough left over to sustain the people. Barely. There are no schools (and the Viniri distrust book-learnin') so most instruction comes from the family and apprenticeships. Mother and Father pass on the island's values; mental and physical fortitude, respect for elders and clan ties, responsibility to their home, fear of the Enclave, grudging love for Ocean Consuming Warrior and hatred for the realm. They also pass on the Viniri's notable pessimism, which frequently manifests as dark jokes or biting sarcasm. Foreigners receive the brunt of the islanders disdain, giving them a reputation as terribly rude people. Town life is a communal, where all is shared and allocated according to need. Most of these rules are informal, Viniri are expected to help their neighbors when they are in trouble (though complaining about it is acceptable). Control of each town rests, also informally, in the hands of a group of trusted elders. Becoming a member of that group happens without election either; once the other trusted elders start asking you for advice, you're in. The clan forms the structure to a Viniri's life, holding their history, their legacy, and their connection to villages all across the island. Each clan was given sacred Secrets to surviving on the Wailing Enclave, ones that block off certain professions from people outside their clan. Clan members who are not in one of the sacred professions usually do not know the Secrets, but are expected to help protect them anyway. For most Viniri, their clan is simply a source of familial pride and family gossip. Almost every Viniri village has a shrine to Ocean Consuming Warrior, where they lay sacrifices of beast-flesh. He especially likes the flesh of animals that have killed and eaten a man. The shrines always seem to spring up each time the Immaculate monks tear them down. But even the Immaculates give alms to the Axel, God of the Road. Axel is lord of the one trading road that almost circumnavigates the entire island. Those who make sacrifices quickly find road-side Lodges in the event of ice storms. Those who do not give Axel his due face the wind and snow with broken wheels, frightened horses and no shelter in sight. Very few Viniri convert to the Realm's religion. Those that do are quickly driven out of their villages and migrate to the Enclave's only Monastery. Clans The Excellent Trappers are the Enclave's explorers, braving the dangerous mountains and forests to forage for food and sacred herbs. They are Trappers instead of Hunters because they must always remain within a certain distance of a sanctified lodge in case of a sudden ice storm, making it safer to lay traps instead of stalking prey for days. Much of a Trapper's training involves learning where these lodges are, and how to read the signs to find them. The Trappers hold a special anger for the Builder Clan, believing them to be hamstringing the Trapper's range by not building enough lodges. The Most Pious Builders task is simple, but vitally important. Anyone can raise a structure (and many do, on a temporary basis) but only buildings made by the hands and secret techniques of The Most Pious Builders have a hope of standing against the many pounding ice storms. However, they do not know the best way to build everything. The Fishers were also given secrets of construction, specifically how to make sanctified boats. The Builders believe the Fishers have been given their secrets by mistake, or stole them long ago, and hold tremendous ire for Fisher Clan. Salt-Blooded Fishers have the most vital role in Viniri life. It is impossible to sustain the Viniri population from the craggy island, so their food must come from the sea. It is they who know Secrets of wind and tide, of shoals and mink whale, of boat and sail. Sadly, their jobs are almost as dangerous as the Trappers. The Salt-Blooded Fishers blame the Jade Priests for spending too much time squabbling over scripture and not enough appeasing the many ocean gods and elementals that directly threaten the Fisher Clan's life. The Jade Priests carry the words of Ocean Consuming Warrior to the Viniri. Though nominally in charge of the entire Viniri, the Enclave's people are too ornery to follow a single authority. Jade Priests lead rituals, bless marriages, teach children and help settle disputes. The most gifted Priests treat with the Gods of land and sea, securing the saftey of the Viniri. Unfortunately, many of the ingredients for their rites and the best sacrifices lay within the evergreen forests. Jade Priests frequently denounce the Trapper Clan for hording meat and keeping the Secret of sacred herb cultivation to themselves. Category:The Gauntlet